13
Start Safely

Make The Right Start

Mow only in daylight or good arti cial light conditions.
Avoid serious injury or death from mower-thrown
objects or blade contact:
— Keep chain shields,  exible or solid de ector shields
or discharge chutes in place and in good repair.
— Keep bystanders at least 300 ft (92 m) from mowing
operation.
— Never direct mower discharge toward anyone.
— Keep hands, feet and other body parts away from
rotating parts, blades and discharge openings.
— Do not operate mower in transport position.
Do not approach a mower until all motion has stopped.
Mower PTO drive engagement:
— Raise mower to maximum cutting height.
— Engage PTO at low engine rpm.
— Increase engine rpm to mower’s rated rpm PTO speed.
— Lower mower to desired cutting height.
— Stop and shut down immediately if the mower strikes
an obstruction.
— Inspect and repair any mower damage before
resuming mowing.
— Do not operate mower with severe vibrations or with
unusual noise.

Mower-Thrown Objects

Depending on the designed purpose, mowers are
designed to cut grass, weeds, brush and crops. The
mower blades have been designed and tested for
rugged use. The mower blades, however, are not
intended to contact solid objects like rocks, concrete
or metal. Such impact can cause broken objects to be
thrown up to 300 ft (92 m). Bystanders should never
be within 300 ft (92 m) of an operating rotary mower or
within 100 ft (30 M) of a properly equipped disc mower.
Rotating Blades –
Keep Away
Do Not Operate a
Damaged Mower
Operate Safely
Mower shielding is designed to reduce the risk of thrown
objects and must be properly maintained and in place
during mowing operations.
The risk of serious injury or death from thrown objects
can be signi cantly reduced by following three rules.
If all of these safety rules are not followed, the
mowing operation must be stopped if anyone comes
within the safety limit for the mower type.
First — Inspect the area prior to mowing and remove
stones, branches, wire, cable, metal, glass and other
solid objects before operating. Any objects that cannot
be removed must be clearly marked and carefully
avoided by the operator.
In non-crop areas with grass and weeds high enough to
hide objects that could be struck by the blades, inspect
the area and remove or mark large debris or obstacles.
Mow the area at an intermediate height. Inspect the area
closely and remove or mark any remaining debris or
obstacles. Mow again at desired  nal height.
Second — Mower-thrown object shielding must be
used when operating near roads, parks, populated
areas or other areas where thrown objects could
injure bystanders or damage property. Follow the
manufacturer's operator's manual.
Third — Cross diagonally when mowing through
ditches, sharp dips, and drops. Raise the mower to
prevent the mower blades from hitting the ground.
Follow
All Mower
Safety Rules